Nighttime Problems
by Deep Wonderment
Summary: Peter is having nightmares. Can his family help him?


**Title: **Nighttime Problems  
**Author: **hiphopmarmalade  
**Fandom: **The Chronicles of Narnia  
**Rating: **PG (K+)  
**Character: **Peter Pevensie  
**Summary: **Peter has nightmares in Narnia. Can anyone help him?  
**Warnings: **Fluff  
**Word Count: **1,094  
**Notes: **Prompt was "reversed roles." This was written for 2x5 obsessions on LJ. I don't own Narnia. More talented people than I do.

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High King Peter the Magnificent lately was feeling more like- no wait worse than Peter Pevensie of Finchley. He didn't see how he could lead an entire country if he couldn't even look after his family. It was only a week after the coronation of Peter and his siblings, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy and the nightmares he had since they had arrived in Narnia and Edmund had been held captive by the White Witch were not going away. They seemed to be getting worse. 

High King Peter the Magnificent lately was feeling more like- no wait worse than Peter Pevensie of Finchley. He didn't see how he could lead an entire country if he couldn't even look after his family. It was only a week after the coronation of Peter and his siblings, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy and the nightmares he had since they had arrived in Narnia and Edmund had been held captive by the White Witch were not going away. They seemed to be getting worse.

The nightmares had varied from Edmund being tortured by the White Witch to seeing him die on the battle field over and over again. Three nights ago Susan and Edmund were both captured and Edmund had given his life for Susan. But it didn't matter- Susan was turned into stone after refusing to tell the Witch where Peter and Lucy were. The next night Susan had given away the location of Lucy and Peter. He, in his dream, had to watch his littlest sister see her dearest Narnian friend Tumnus the Faun be tortured and then turned into stone. Lucy had ended up in tears chained to that Statue looking at the statues of Susan, Peter, and Edmund.

Thinking of Lucy made Peter think of memories of a simpler time. Back in London, and more so at Professor Kirke's if Lucy had a nightmare she would run into Peter's room wake him up with a simple shake and statement of having a nightmare. Then Peter would smile groggily and pull back the covers. Lucy would crawl in his bed and hug him then drift into a deep sleep. This scenario had happened with all his siblings but they outgrew it. And when he was little he had Mum and Dad. Oh, how he wished there was someone here he could crawl into bed with to feel safe.

Peter looked out the window and realized it was bedtime; sighing he crawled into his bed which seemed like it was big enough to fit his entire family. He fell asleep for awhile and sat up straight in his bed. He had had another nightmare. In this one the White Witch has captured them all and killed everyone but Peter. She was starting to go after him when he woke up. Susan had once told him you can't die in your dreams and he supposed this was the explanation.

Scared for his family's well being Peter got up and walked across the hall to Edmunds room. He had taken to sleeping with the lights on since his ordeal in Narnia, but it worked for him and he was sleeping peacefully. Padding down the hall he reached Susan's open door- that's how she always slept in England. She was fine as well. Peter headed down the hall to his youngest sister's room. Lucy slept with her door closed in Narnia. She has always felt safe and at home here. Peter opened up the door and a crack of light appeared on Lucy's face. This woke her up because she was a light sleeper.

"Peter? Is everything okay? Do you need my cordial? Who's hurt?" Lucy was alarmed at the sight of her eldest brother and the High King of Narnia in her doorway.

"Lu everything is fine. I just had a nightmare and wanted to make sure everyone was okay. The walk cleared my head." Peter turned to head back to his room.

Lucy had another idea. "Peter? Remember how I would stay with you when I had a nightmare? If you need to do that you can. I'm Queen Lucy the Valiant and I suppose I can be brave enough for both of us you think?"

Peter grinned. "Yes I suppose you can."

Lucy pulled back the covers and threw her arms around Peter as he crawled into bed with her. "Do you need to talk about it?" Lucy looked at him with wide inquiring eyes.

"No not now. Lu lets just get some sleep." Peter smiled as she kissed his forehead like he would when she had a nightmare.

When Peter woke up the next morning Lucy's arms were still around him. He gently moved them and sat up in the bed.

"Morning Peter," Edmund said sleepily from a chair next to the bed, "is Lu okay? I got up to get some water and saw the door open so I figured I'd stay with you guys. I guess Susan found us too." Edmund gestured to the sleeping figure at the foot of the bed.

"Morning boys. Is you all okay? I saw you guys in here when I had this feeling something was wrong and went looking for everyone." Susan had just woken up and gracefully sat up on the foot of the bed.

The movement woke Lucy up. Not noticing the other two yet she looked at Peter. "Sleep well?"

"Much better than the rest of the weeks since we got to Narnia Lu." Peter was touched by how much everyone around him cared.

"You had the nightmare?" Edmund was astonished.

"You couldn't tell? Lucy was hugging him not him hugging her. It was an odd sight. It was like Peter was the little one not Lucy." Susan had known immediately but didn't want to draw attention to it sooner.

"You've been having these nightmares since we got to Narnia? Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy shouted looked at Peter with her hands on her hips.

"What are they about Peter?" Susan said trying not to laugh at Lucy. Edmund on the other hand laughed but a glare from Lucy silenced him.

Peter explained his nightmares about the White Witch and how everyone kept dying. Peter broke down in tears. Lucy jumped up looking for a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. Susan started rubbing his back gently and Edmund gave him a hug. These actions brought a smile to Peter's face. They reacted just how he did after they each woke up from a nightmare when they were in England.

The four Narnian monarchs sat on Lucy's bed in a group hug. Peter was starting to realize that they were going to help him with running Narnian. He was never meant to be alone. As for looking after his family he saw that they were all looking out for each other. In the distance Peter could swear he hear a lion roar. At that moment Peter knew that Aslan may have left but The Lion would always be there or bring people into Peter's life to help him.


End file.
